Hurricane Melissa made powerful landfall in Jamaica. How to help from NC

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, Oct. 28, as one of the most powerful storms in the Atlantic.

Andrew Holness, the prime minister of Jamaica, told CNN on Tuesday that “severe damage to infrastructure” was expected along Melissa’s path.

The storm made landfall in Southwestern Jamaica around 1 p.m. Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, with estimated maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the center of the storm, which had weakened to a Category 4 cyclone, was emerging from the northern coast of Western Jamaica. The National Hurricane Center warned that damaging winds would continue over parts of Jamaica on Tuesday evening. Flash flooding, landslides, widespread infrastructure damage and power and communication outages were also expected.

Organizations have already started preparing and planning to provide assistance to Jamaican families affected by the storm.

Here’s how North Carolina residents can help.

Ways to help Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

Several organizations are collecting financial donations in response to the hurricane:

• The American Friends of Jamaica Disaster Relief Fund offers support when natural and humanitarian disasters affect Jamaican communities.
• Americares will send an emergency response team to Jamaica when it’s safe to travel, to help coordinate response activities. It also has an emergency medical team that can provide support as needed.
• GiveDirectly will deliver cash to families, helping them pay for food, water, medicine, generators, diapers, shelter and bills.
• GlobalGiving’s Hurricane Melissa Relief Fund will be used to provide food, water and emergency medical supplies to people and animals; support temporary relief and emergency supplies for displaced families; and provide support to frontline workers.
• GoFundMe launched a centralized hub of verified fundraisers related to Hurricane Melissa.
• Golden Krust, which has three Raleigh locations, is accepting financial donations, or customers can bring non-perishable food items and hygiene products to stores.
• Project Hope will send an emergency response team to Jamaica to provide health and humanitarian relief.
• The Red Cross is assisting with relief efforts across the Caribbean, including in Jamaica.
• The Salvation Army will provide emergency shelter, evacuation support and coordinated aid across the Caribbean, including Jamaica.
• World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by chef Jose Andres that provides meals to families affected by natural disasters and other events, will help feed Jamaican communities.
• World Vision is providing flood buckets, generators, hygiene kits, tarps and other emergency items to Jamaican communities.

This story has been updated with more organizations.

This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 8:07 AM with the headline "Hurricane Melissa made powerful landfall in Jamaica. How to help from NC."

Renee Umsted

The News & Observer

202-383-6008

Renee Umsted is The News & Observer’s Affordability Reporter. She writes about what it costs to live in the Triangle, with a consumer-focused approach. She has a degree in journalism from TCU.